The Kansas City Chiefs have addressed one of their main roster weaknesses leading into the 2026 NFL season. A week away from 53-man roster cuts and the waiver wire, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach decided to act fast with an opportunity to reinforce the interior offensive line depth in Kansas City.

According to multiple reports, the Chiefs are trading a 2028 seventh-round draft pick in exchange for Giants offensive lineman Josh Ezeudu. NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported that Kansas City has been looking to add offensive line depth, and the move comes at a critical time for the roster.

Chiefs’ offensive line depth problems were on full display in preseason

The offensive line injuries the Chiefs have dealt with made it clear in Week 2 of the preseason loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that Kansas City lacked depth up front. The team started Mike Caliendo at right guard alongside Kahlil Benson, and the jumbled offensive line led to a subpar performance.

This isn’t so much about Trey Smith’s hip injury as it is about finding an upgrade to Mike Caliendo. The Chiefs have been unable to fix their interior offensive line depth issues. It’s an indictment of players like Hunter Nourzad, C.J. Hanson, Pete Nygra, and Josh Thompson, and OL coach Andy Heck’s inability to develop them.

What Josh Ezeudu brings to Kansas City

Ezeudu comes to Kansas City with 33 games of playing experience, including 10 starts, during his tenure with the New York Giants. He’s played left tackle and left guard during his time with the Giants. However, he missed the 2025 NFL season on injured reserve with a calf injury. He’s listed at 6-foot-4, 308 pounds, and was drafted in 2022 in the third round out of the University of North Carolina. He’ll be 27 years old at the start of the 2026 NFL season.

This upgrade should provide the Chiefs with what they desperately need. That is a swing offensive lineman who can play left guard, right guard, right tackle, and even, in a pinch, potentially the left tackle position. His preseason performances this year at both right guard and right tackle have been quite serviceable. It’s clearly what caught the eye of Kansas City’s evaluators.

Ezeudu gets a head start on acclimating with Kansas City

Getting this deal done now gives Ezeudu a chance to participate in practice and acclimate ahead of the 2026 NFL season. They don’t have to fight to snag him on the waiver wire, and they don’t have to wait for the price of interior offensive linemen to rise.

He’s unlikely to play in preseason Week 3 because he’ll only have a couple of days to get up to speed. However, this is a player who has an opportunity to contribute on both special teams and as a key depth piece for Kansas City.

Ezeudu only has one year left on his deal, and Kansas City will have to pay him $1.1 million during the upcoming season.

Final grade: A-

Chiefs assistant GM Mike Bradway hinted this was coming. Kansas City is upgrading a position that really needs it at the cost of a future seventh-round draft pick. If Ezeudu works out for them, he could re-sign this offseason. This also takes pressure off guys like Pete Nygra or Josh Thompson to play before they’re ready. It’s hard to feel anything but good about this type of trade.